The present invention relates to a heat exchanger of the general type having a plurality of tubes of generally rectangular or oval cross section, which run parallel to one another and have a longitudinal side and a narrow side; a first collecting tank attached to the tubes at a first end of each tube; and heat exchange ribs bearing on the tubes. The invention also relates to a method for producing a heat exchanger and to an arrangement of a first heat exchanger in relation to a second heat exchanger.
It is known that a heat exchanger consists of a tube bundle of rectangular or flatly oval tubes, ribs or fins being arranged between the tubes. At the opposite tube ends, the tubes are enclosed in a header or tube frame. This header has in the longitudinal direction, at each edge, a projecting U-shaped collar for receiving the hood-shaped collecting tank or header tank. After the tube ends have been connected to the header, the collecting tank is placed with its legs onto the U-shaped collar of the header and is flanged to the latter. One disadvantage of the known heat exchanger is that the projecting design of the header makes an increased space requirement necessary for the heat exchanger.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 26 11 397 discloses a heat exchanger, in which the tubes running parallel bear on one another and are welded together in the region of the tube ends by means of connecting surfaces in each case. A disadvantage of this known heat exchanger, however, is that the tube ends are enclosed in a frame which projects at the edge. The design of the known heat exchanger consequently cannot lead to a reduction in its space requirement.